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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When was Lu Hsun born?
(a) 1775 A.D.
(b) 1312 A.D.
(c) 340 B.C.
(d) 1881 A.D.

2. James Thurber is said to have inspired what, in American essay prose?
(a) Discussion of race issues.
(b) Nonsense.
(c) Seriousness.
(d) Pregnant pauses.

3. What is the author's opinion of public executions in "The Execution of Tropmann?"
(a) Public executions should be ended.
(b) Public executions are tools of the class system.
(c) Public executions are thrilling.
(d) Public executions are necessary for law and order.

4. What did Mencken call his collection of writings?
(a) "The Ruin of an Otherwise Perfect Day."
(b) "Sweet Treats."
(c) "Brain Scribblings."
(d) "Prejudices."

5. Which of the following is NOT a well-known story written by Robert Louis Stevenson?
(a) The Tell-Tale Heart.
(b) Kidnapped.
(c) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
(d) Treasure Island.

Short Answer Questions

1. Under what circumstances did Walter Benjamin die?

2. Who is Hsun addressing in his essay "Death?"

3. What might best describe the attitude of the author in "Such, Such Were the Joys..."?

4. What do Seymour Krim and Mary McCarthy have in common?

5. Who wrote "Going Out for a Walk?"

Short Essay Questions

1. What tone does Mary McCarthy use in "My Confession?" How does she approach herself as well as the subjects of her essays?

2. What is Orwell's "Such, Such Were the Joys..." about? What complaints does Orwell have about the subject?

3. What level of literary output did G. K. Chesterton achieve in his lifetime?

4. How does Seymour Krim's life compare to Mary McCarthy's? How did Krim's childhood impact his writing?

5. What kind of literature did Virginia Woolf write? What was a common focus that united her work?

6. Describe the important events in Lu Hsun's life that impacted his personal essays.

7. How did Virginia Woolf's personal background impact her work?

8. M.F.K. Fisher is known for writing primarily about what subject? Beyond this subject, what biographical details has she confronted in her writing?

9. What is Robert Louis Stevenson best known for today?

10. What is the subject of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Crack-Up?" What extended metaphor does he use?

(see the answer keys)

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